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IPv6

IPv6 is the sixth (and the latest) version of the Internet Protocol. When someone refers to an IP address, usually they’re talking about the older format – IPv4. However, there’s a shortage of available IP combinations of the version 4.

To illustrate this, there’s around 4.3 billion IPv4 addresses. In contrast, IPv6 gives access to approximately 340 undecillion unique addresses.

An IPv6 address differs from what you’re used to seeing with IPv4. For example, an IPv4 address looks like this: 123.45.678.80, whole IPv6 – 2001:0db8:85a3:0000:0000:8a2e:0370:7334. The latter is much longer and also includes letters A-F.

Cons and Pros of IPv6 Addresses

The primary reason for the lack of IPv6 use cases is compatibility. IPv6 isn’t compatible with IPv4. So, it means that all parties – Internet Service Providers, data centers, and cloud providers – would have to switch. Major names like Amazon, X (former Twitter), and Reddit don’t support IPv6.

However, IPv6 has some advantages over IPv4. It improves security because it has built-in support for IPsec, which encrypts and verifies data as it travels across the network. This feature isn’t available with IPv4. Additionally, it simplifies network management by allowing devices to automatically assign their IP addresses, reducing the need for manual configuration.